Hinged door module bracket

ABSTRACT

A door module includes a bracket having a hinge portion which permits alignment of the handle support of the door module with a door shell attachment portion. The hinge portion of the bracket comprises a flexible strip that allows the bracket to flex between a first and installed position. To install the door module, the hinge portion of the bracket is flexed to the first position such that additional clearance is provided between the door module and the door shell. The door module is located in the door shell and aligned with the door shell attachment portion. The hinge portion is released to the installed position and the handle support is secured to an outside handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to vehicle door assemblies and, moreparticularly, to a vehicle door module with an attachment portion tosecure and align an external handle during installation of the doormodule.

A vehicle door typically includes an outer shell that houses variousdoor components. The door components include a door panel that isreceived into the outer shell. The door panel operates as an attachmentfor various door components such as window guides, a safety system, asound system, and a door locking mechanism. The door panel, attachedcomponents, and accompanying system of cables and wires to operate thevarious components are typically preassembled and then installed intothe outer shell as a module.

In particular, the door module includes a handle support that attachesto an external handle through a door shell attachment portion. To attachthe external handle to the handle support, the handle support must bealigned with the attachment portion.

Clearance between the width of the door module and the inner width ofthe door shell is generally small, which may increase the difficulty foran assembler to insert the door module into the door shell and visuallyalign the handle support with the door shell attachment portion. Also,the door module is generally rigid and may be difficult to adjustrelative to the attachment portion once the door module is inside thedoor shell. Presently, insertion of the door module into the door shell,alignment of the handle support with the attachment portion, andattachment of the external handle may be a laborious task.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a door module that permitsrelatively uncomplicated installation and alignment of a handle support.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The door module according to the present invention includes a latchbracket attached to a door panel. The latch bracket is attached to adoor latch which is attached to a handle bracket. The handle bracketincludes a hinge portion that flexes during installation of the doormodule into the door shell. The handle bracket attaches to a handlesupport that connects to an external door handle through the door shell.

Another door module includes a handle bracket having an annular bodyportion, a latch attachment portion, and a handle support arm. Arcuatehooks couple the door latch to the handle bracket in a “snap-fit” typeof design. A flexible strip allows the handle bracket to flex betweenpositions.

In another door module, a method for aligning the door module with thedoor shell attachment portion includes flexing a biased hinge portionsof the handle bracket to a first position that allows the door modulegreater clearance with the door shell and facilitates installation ofthe door module. The greater clearance also allows an assembler tovisually align the handle support with the door shell attachmentportion.

Another door module includes a handle bracket having a sheathed portionthat blocks a seam located on the door latch to prevent debris, waterand the like from directly impinging upon the door latch.

In another door module, the handle bracket includes an annular bodyportion with a latch support attachment portion that engages a latchattachment portion. The annular body portion includes a flexible striphinge portion that allows the handle bracket to flex between positions.The latch attachment portion of the handle bracket is secured to thedoor latch and the latch support attachment portion. Arcuate hooks matewith the door latch in a “snap-fit” type of design. A sheathed portionextends from the engagement portion and covers a seam located on thedoor latch to prevent debris, water and the like from directly impingingupon the door latch.

The door module according to the present invention provides a brackethaving a hinge portion that allows uncomplicated alignment of the handlesupport.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various features and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings thataccompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.

FIG. 1A shows general perspective view of a vehicle having a door and adoor module;

FIG. 1B shows a cross sectional view of a door module received in a doorshell;

FIG. 2 shows an angled perspective view of a door module;

FIG. 3 shows an angled perspective view of a handle bracket; and

FIG. 4 shows an angled perspective view of another handle bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1A illustrates a vehicle 10 having a door 12. The door 12 includesa door module 14. As shown in FIG. 1B, a door shell 18 of the door 12receives the door module 14 therein with a clearance 16 between the doormodule 14 and the door shell 18. The door module 14 is coupled to anexternal handle 20 through a door shell attachment portion 22.

Referring to FIG. 2, the door module 14 includes a door panel 30 thataccommodates window guides 32 a and 32 b, each of which define parallelaxes 34 along which a window (not shown) moves. A latch bracket 36 isattached to the door panel 30 and extends generally perpendicular to theaxis 32 a, 32 b. The latch bracket 36 includes attachment bosses 38 forattachment to the door panel 30 through fasteners or the like. Anextended support arm 40 attaches to a door latch 42. The door latch 42is attached to a handle bracket 44 with a latch attachment portion 46that extends generally in the X-Z plane 48 which is generallyperpendicular to the door panel 30. The handle bracket 44 furtherincludes a hinge portion 50 that can pivot from an open to a closedposition during installation of the door module 14 into the door shell18. A handle support arm 52 of the handle bracket 44 extends generallyin the Z-Y plane 54 and attaches to a handle support 56. The handlesupport 56 connects to the external handle 20 through the door shell 18as referred to in FIG. 1B.

The door module 14 also includes a personal identification code (“PIC”)cable 58 that operates an entry keypad (not shown) on the exterior ofthe door. The PIC cable 58 routes through the handle support 56, thehandle bracket 44, and the latch bracket 36 to a controller unit 60 inthe vehicle 10. The latch bracket 36 and the handle bracket 44 include alatch bracket cable holder 62 and handle bracket cable holder 64,respectively, for routing and retaining the PIC cable 58.

Referring to FIG. 3, the handle bracket 44 includes an annular bodyportion 74 defining a Z-Y plane 76. A latch attachment portion 78extends generally in the X-Z plane 77 and secures the door latch 42(FIG. 2) using arcuate hooks 79. The arcuate hooks 79 preferably matewith the door latch 42 in a “snap-fit” type of design. The handlesupport arm 52 extends in the Z-Y plane 76 for securing the handlesupport 56 (FIG. 2).

The annular body portion 74 includes a hinge portion 50. The hingeportion 50 comprises a flexible strip 80 that allows the handle supportarm 52 to flex relative to the door panel 30. Flexing the hinge portion50 in a direction 82 achieves a first position 84.

The hinge portion 50 provides a method for aligning the handle support56 of the door module 14 with the door shell attachment portion 22. Themethod includes flexing the hinge portion 50 to a first position 84 andinserting the door module 14 into the door shell 18. The first position84 is relatively closer to the door panel 30 than before flexing. Thehandle support 56 is aligned with the door shell attachment portion 22,and the hinge portion 50 is unflexed to a second position 85. The secondposition 85 is relatively farther from the door panel 30 than the firstposition. The external handle 20 is attached through the door shellattachment portion 22. The hinge portion 50 is biased to the secondposition 85. When flexing the hinge portion 50 to the first position 84,the hinge portion 50 must be held at the first position while insertingthe door module 14 into the door shell 18. When the hinge portion 50 isreleased from the first position 84, the bias moves the hinge portion tothe second position 85. In other examples, the hinge portion 50 has nobias or is biased toward the first position.

The hinge portion 50 provides for alignment of the handle support 44with the door shell attachment portion 22. During assembly, flexing thehinge portion 50 to the first position 84 creates increased clearance 16between the door shell 18 and the door module 14 than if the hingeportion was rigid. The increased clearance facilitates insertion of thedoor module 14 into the door shell 18. Also, the greater clearance 16allows an assembler to visually align the handle support 56 with thedoor shell attachment portion 22. The hinge portion 50 has no functiononce the door module has been installed.

The handle bracket 44 also includes a sheathed portion 86 that extendsgenerally perpendicular from the latch attachment portion 78. Thesheathed portion 86 includes a generally arcuate surface 88 that extendsinto two planar walls 90. The planar walls 90 further include a centerwall 92 interposed between the planar walls 90. The center wall 92preferably blocks a seam located on the door latch 42 (not shown) toprevent debris, water and the like from directly impinging upon the doorlatch 42.

Referring to FIG. 4, the handle bracket 102 includes an annular bodyportion 104 defining a Z-Y plane 106, which is approximately parallel tothe door panel 30. A latch support attachment portion 108 extendsgenerally in the X-Z plane 108 and engages a latch attachment portion110. The handle support arm 112 extends in the Z-Y plane 106 forsecuring the handle support 56 (FIG. 2).

The annular body portion 104 includes a hinge portion 114. The hingeportion 114 comprises a flexible strip 116 that allows the handlesupport arm 112 to flex relative to the door panel 30. Flexing the hingeportion 114 in a direction 118 achieves a first position 120. Unflexingthe hinge portion 114 achieves a second position 121. The hinge portion114 is biased to the second position, although in other examples thehinge portion 50 is biased to the first position or has no bias.

The latch attachment portion 110 of the handle bracket 102 includes anengagement portion 122 for securing to the door latch 42 (FIG. 2). Theengagement portion 122 includes an upper engagement portion 124 and alower engagement portion 126. The upper engagement portion 124 securesthe latch attachment portion 110 to the latch support attachment portion108. The lower engagement portion 126 secures the latch attachmentportion 110 to the door latch 42 using arcuate hooks 128. The arcuatehooks 128 preferably mate with the door latch 42 in a “snap-fit” type ofdesign.

The latch attachment portion 110 also includes a sheathed portion 130that extends generally perpendicular from the engagement portion 122.The sheathed portion 130 includes a generally arcuate surface 132 thatextends into two planar walls 134. The planar walls 134 further includea center wall 136 interposed between the planar walls 134. The centerwall 136 preferably blocks a seam located on the door latch 42 (notshown) to prevent debris, water and the like from directly impingingupon the door latch 42.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, aworker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certainmodifications would come within the scope of this invention. For thatreason, the following claims should be studied to determine the truescope and content of this invention.

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A method of mounting a vehicle door module within adoor shell comprising: (a) flexing a hinge portion of a bracket relativeto a door panel; (b) locating the door panel in a door shell; (c)aligning a handle support that is attached to the bracket with anattachment portion of the door shell; and (d) unflexing the hingeportion to locate the handle support in an installed position.
 10. Themethod as recited in claim 9, wherein step (a) further comprises flexingthe hinge portion to a first position relatively closer to the doorpanel.
 11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein step (a) furthercomprises holding the hinged portion at the first position.
 12. Themethod as recited in claim 9, wherein step (d) further compriseslocating the handle support to the installed position adjacent to a doorshell attachment portion.
 13. The method as recited in claim 9, whereinstep (d) further comprises unflexing the bracket from a first positionto the installed position.
 14. The method as recited in claim 9, furthercomprising a step (e) connecting the handle support to an outside doorhandle.